Putin greets Kyrgyz President Atambayev on his 60th birthday

Sept 17 2016

TASS

Putin awarded the Kyrgyz counterpart with the Order of Alexander Nevsky for "big input in development of the multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Kyrgyzstan in the spirit of mutual trust and strategic partnership."

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin congratulated the Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev with his jubilee.

"I would like to congratulate you on your birthday," Putin said. "I am happy I and my colleagues on this day can be here, together with you. Our state relations are developing in all directions - both civil and military. Of course, we are working under complicated circumstances, but, still, we cope with the tasks we face."

The Russian president invited the Kyrgyz president "to talk the entire complex of our relations." He thanked Atambayev once again for the high level of hosting the CIS jubilee summit.

In the very beginning of the meeting, Putin awarded the Kyrgyz counterpart with the Order of Alexander Nevsky for "big input in development of the multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Kyrgyzstan in the spirit of mutual trust and strategic partnership."

Kyrgyzstan’s President Atambayev thanked Putin for the visit, saying he is always happy to meet him.

"Whenever we meet, I see not just a partner or strategic partner, but first of all a brother - we have quite different relations and I am happy about it," Atambayev said.

The Kyrgyz president said one of his biggest achievements as the country’s president is that he managed to "return the relations with Russia to normal."

"I believe, our fathers fought together not for nothing," he said. "We must continue what they did, but without a war, I hope."